1. Field of the Invention
The present invention, in general relates to burning incense sticks and, more particularly, to a timer for controlling the duration of burn.
Incense sticks are well-known devices that are used in religious ceremonies, general gatherings, and for private use to imbue an area with a particular scent via smoke.
The incense stick is typically placed in a holder that cooperates with a bottom end of the incense stick. The top of the incense stick is then ignited by a match or other type of lighter.
If a flame appears, it is extinguished and a dull red glow remains at the tip of the incense stick to continue the combustion process. As combustion of the stick occurs, a thin stream of smoke rises from the incense stick to mingle with and disappear from view into the ambient air.
An incense stick burns itself by smoldering at the tip. A residue of ash remains as the tip continues to smolder in what is usually a generally downward direction toward a base of the incense stick. When the ash residue becomes sufficiently large, it falls from the incense stick.
It is both the combustion process and the smoke that impart the greatest concentration of odor into the environment. While the incense stick, if held to one's nose, may have an odor of its own, it is the combustion process that maximally emits the fragrance of that particular type of incense stick.
Different types of incense sticks have a different odor. While they do vary somewhat in size, incense sticks tend to be similarly sized.
When a person enters an area (i.e., a room) where incense has been burning for a short period of time, the person is likely to notice a pleasant scent to the air. It is for this reason, primarily, that people burn incense sticks.
There are other reasons for burning incense, to be sure. For example, it is not uncommon for a person to place a burning stick of incense on an altar or in front of an image of a holy being or saint as an offering in veneration that accords with their spiritual practices.
While the burning of incense sticks affords certain benefits, their use is also problematical. When an incense stick is ignited it tends to burn from a tip toward a base until all of a combustible coating that also contains the primary fragrance, has been consumed.
Accordingly, there is no effective way to regulate the duration of burn of an incense stick.
When all of an incense stick is burned in a confined space or where there is little movement of air, the fragrance can overpower the area. When that happens, the scent becomes overbearing and instead of adding to the ambiance of the area, can actually detract from the ambiance.
Therefore, a person may want to burn only a portion of a stick of incense. The person may want to burn the stick for, perhaps, twenty minutes at a time in order to provide the perfect olfactory room aesthetics.
Also, when prayers or supplications are complete, the person may want to terminate the burning of incense as a natural conclusion of the ritual itself.
To extinguish a burning (i.e., smoldering) stick of incense, the person may try to do so by grasping a burning tip of the incense stick and pinching the tip between a thumb and a finger. However, this action can easily burn the person.
Also, if it is not done sufficiently well, the incense stick can appear to be extinguished while a small portion of the tip still smolders faintly. The faintly smoldering tip may not emit enough smoke to be visible or have any visible glow. Accordingly, the person believes the incense stick is extinguished.
A few minutes later, the entire tip can begin to fully smolder unbeknownst to the person who thought he or she had extinguished it. Eventually, the entire incense stick will burn itself out and a far too strong of a fragrance will permeate the area.
There is also a fire danger associated with incense burning. Certain prior art types of incense stick holders do not well-secure the incense stick above the holder. Sometimes, when the ash residue falls from the incense stick, it brings a small smoldering ember along with it. If the smoldering ember falls on the holder it usually soon extinguishes itself and no harm is done.
By apparent reason of market demand, most incense holders are narrow devices that suspend the stick of incense at an angle over the holder. If a longitudinal axis of the incense stick does not align with a longitudinal axis of the holder, a portion of the incense stick can extend beyond the holder.
If the incense stick is offset off of the holder, the smoldering ember can fall on a combustible surface and ignite it. Clearly, this can cause considerable property damage and even death.
Additionally, it is preferred that all ash fall onto the holder so that the holder can later be held over a trash receptacle and tilted to deposit all of the ash into the receptacle and maintain the general area of the holder as clean as possible.
A person who has just completed a stay in an area that includes a burning stick of incense will want to extinguish that stick so as to prevent a risk of fire prior to leaving.
If, as mentioned above, the person pinches the incense stick, believes it to be extinguished, and then leaves the area, there remains a possibility that a small smoldering remnant of the incense stick can bring it back into full smolder. If the stick is also offset off of the holder, there remains the possibility that a fire could occur as a result of falling ash and ember.
Another prior way of extinguishing a stick of incense is to remove the burning stick from its holder and dip the tip into a glass of water. While this is effective at extinguishing the incense stick, it also damages the remainder of the stick.
When the person tries to reignite the tip, it may no longer combust. This wastes incense sticks. Many people presently accept this waste as a necessary financial burden.
If an incense stick if capable of burning for several hours duration, the person may burn it for only a few minutes and then extinguish it by dipping it in water. The person may then discard the remainder, which is substantially unused, and use a new incense stick for the next few minute duration burn.
If the person extinguishes by dipping (i.e., soaking) the incense stick in water, and then decides a few minutes after extinguishing it that he or she would like to continue to burn it for an additional period of time, it is virtually impossible to reignite a soaked incense stick.
The person will be forced to use a new stick and will likely discard the prior stick of incense, even though the greater portion of it was unused.
Accordingly, there exists today a need for an incense timer that helps ameliorate the above-mentioned problems and difficulties.
Clearly, such an apparatus would be a useful and desirable device.
2. Description of Prior Art
Incense holders are, in general, known. For example, the following patent describes a somewhat related type of device:
U.S. Pat. No. 6,389,739 to Borut, et al., that issued on May 21, 2002.
While the structural arrangements of the above described devices may, at first appearance, have similarities with the present invention, they differ in material respects. These differences, which will be described in more detail hereinafter, are essential for the effective use of the invention and which admit of the advantages that are not available with the prior devices.